Filmmaking
Alongside her instruction, Bregman also had an interest in film; more specifically, in producing films. She had a hand in several film projects, some of which reside in Poly’s archives, and a few of which have even been digitized. One of them that’s mentioned in her finding aid is called Symmetry and is quite renowned. So much so that the film went on to win national and international awards.
But before diving into Bregman’s passions for film, it’s important to understand the state of the industry at the time. The 1960s were a decade of growing unrest and monumental change. From major events like the death of Marilyn Monroe to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, landing on the moon, growing social and political unrest, and the civil rights movements, there was a lot happening and the filmmaking industry was no exception. The 60s saw a shift in what kind of films were being produced and what techniques were employed to make these images come to life. Technology to produce moving pictures was steadily becoming more and more accessible, no longer seen as something exclusive to the Hollywood Studio production model.
As put by The American Society of Cinematographers:
“As the decade progressed... began shifting its focus to other types of productions, techniques and new equipment that would mark the ’60s as an era of forward-thinking artistry, experimentation and cutting-edge filmmaking.” (Pizzello Flashbacks: AC in the '60s)
Artistry is one of the most notable changes seen in this shift in the industry. The days of producing historical films and epic adventures were beginning to wane, giving more leeway for people to explore and experiment with the potential of the medium. Judith Bregman certainly noticed this and wasted no time turning her interest in films and filmmaking into something that she actively pursued.
Symmetry
Symmetry (1966) is an animated color film produced by Judith Bregman, Philip Stapp, and Alan Holden with music by Gene Forell. This 10-minute film is one of Bregman’s most notable, having been shown both across the US and internationally as well as drawing the attention of both scientific and filmmaking communities as well as captivating its audiences. Though the focus of Symmetry is to explain a phenomenon crucial to physics, this film is a far cry from a dry educational piece.
“Unlike other films of science, SYMMETRY is not about science; it embodies science… Its visual imagery (in animation) consists in semi-abstract figures in continual motion… There is no spoken narration; music, written for the film, is an integral part of the exposition… Thus the film might be called a “mathematical ballet.” (Judith Bregman Collection)
From this synopsis, it can be seen how this film was not only intended to be a tool for education, but also an art piece meant to pose questions and explore the ways in which traditional information can be communicated in new ways via the use of filmmaking techniques. Had Bregman and her colleagues chosen to create Symmetry a few years prior, how would the film have looked? Given the prevalence of “historically accurate” motion pictures being created in Hollywood before the shift towards artistic exploration and experimentation happened, it is possible that Symmetry could have taken on a more formal tone, attempting to translate what would essentially be the same content of an in-person lecture on symmetry at Polytechnic University into the medium of film.
While Symmetry is indeed an artistic exploration of the concept, that is not to say it isn’t a highly effective educational tool. Educators and professionals in chemistry alike raved about how smart the composition was, and how enjoyable it made learning.
“I would certainly enjoy teaching more if I could make extensive use of exciting materials of this sort.” (Deal Kalamazoo College)
“Although the film was begun with college students in mind, it has been found to have a much wider usefulness: in science courses for non-science majors, with design and art students, with school children.” (Thompson New York Times)
This only demonstrates how devoted and successful Judith was at translating complex ideas and theories into digestible formats for all, tying back to the research projects and committees she served on pertaining to education.
Awards
It’s worth noting that Symmetry’s success did not live within the confines of Polytechnic’s walls. This was a film that went on to receive both national and international recognition from scientists, artists, and civilians alike.
From the New York Times to Film Review, there was no shortage of positive words to be said. Symmetry was presented at various conferences, foundations, in classrooms for children as young as the 6th grade, and at international film festivals like the Festival of Short Films held in Salerno, Italy where it won the award for best teaching film.
In science terms, it’s safe to say that this experiment was a success.
